Tripping device



Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

B. MCINNERNEY.

TRIPPING DEVICE.

APPLICATION msn JAN.16. 1919.

- mvENToR f/amw WITNESSES:

PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN MUINNERNEY, 0F COUNCIL BLUFFS, IOWA.

TRIPPING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. 28, 1922,

Application led January 16, 1919. Scriai No. 271,483.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, BENJAMIN MOINNER- NEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of (Iouncil Bluffs, in the county of Pottawattamie and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Tripping Devices, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to tripping devices for circuit interrupters and particularly to tripping devices that are responsive to overload, phase reversal and phase failure.

One object of my invention is to provide a tripping device, of the above-indicated character, having a single-supporting member that shall constitute a. portion of the magnetic circuit of the device.

Another object of my invention is to provide a phase-responsive relay for a device of the above-indicated character that shall be applicable to either two or three-phase circuits.

A further object of my invention is to provide a tripping device of the above-indicated character that shall be simple and inexpensive to construct and effective in its operation. In practicing my invention, I provide a magnetizable member of substantially S- shape that is secured to the supporting panel of the circuit interrupter.v A coil is disposed between two of the arms of the magnetizable member and, together with its movable core member, constitutes an overload relay. A phase-responsive relay, having two coils that may be connected to either .two or threephase circuits, is supported on the magnetizable member and is provided with an armature that is adapted to be maintained in its upper position so long as the correct phase relation obtains in the circuit. A movable tripping rod is supported on a projection on the movable core member of the overload relay and is adapted to be actuated by the overload relay and by the phase-responsive relay. A device of this character is relatively inexpensive to construct because of the simplicity land the double function of its component parts.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side elevational View of a circuit interrupter embodying my invention; Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the interrupter shown in Fi 1; Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a phase-responsive relay illustrating the connections of the same for twophase operation, and Fig. 4 is a diagram-- matic View of a phase-responsive relay illustrating the connections of the same for threephase operation.

A circuit interrupter 1 comprises, in general, a supporting panel 2, main stationary contact members 3, auxiliary stationary contact members 3, a movable bridging contact member 4 that is mounted on a pivotallysupported arm 5 upon which auxiliary contact members 4a are also mounted, an actuating`device 6 and a tripping device 7.

he arm 5 is pivotally mounted on brackets 8, and an operating handle 9, that is also mounted on the brackets 8, is adapted to actuate the arm 5 in a well known manner to effect engagement of the contact members. The operating device 6 is provided with a projection 11 on the handle 9 that is engaged by a latch 12 for the purpose of holding the contact members in engagement. A manually actuated member 13 is provided for actuating the latch 12, and a bell-crank lever 14 is mounted on the panel 2 and so connected to the latch 12 as to cause the same to be actuated by the tripping device 7.

'Ihe tripp-ing device 7 comprises a magnetizable member 20 of substantially S- shape,an overload relay 21"`and a phase` responsive relay 22. A coil 23 is-disposed between two arms 24 and 25 of the magnetizable member 2O which constitutes the `stationary magnetizable member of the overload relay 21. A movable core member 26 is disposed within the coil 23 and is provided with a projection 27 for normally supporting a tripping rod 16. The movable member of a dash pot 28 is operatively connected to the lower end of the movable core member 26, and the stationary member 29 of the dash pot is mounted on the arm 3() of the member 20. A `magnetizable core member 31 is mounted on a projection 32 on the arm 30 and is provided with five polar projections 33. A keeper member 34 is also mounted on the projection 32, and a segmental armature-35 is disposed in the air gap between the keeper member and the core member 31. The armature 35 is pivotally mounted on a bracket 36 and has a projection 37 that is adapted to engage the tripping rod 16, under predetermined conditions. The armature 35 is of such weight that it normally remains in its lowermost position when no current] traverses the windings 38 and 39 of the relay.

tion in the circuit towhich the same is nected.

When an overload obtains on the circuit that is connected to the circuit interrupter 1, the movable core member 26 of the overload relay 21 will be moved upwardly to thereby cause the rod 16 to engage the projection 15 on the bell-crank lever 14 and thus so actuate the latch 12 as to permit the disengagement of the contact members. The time of operation of the rod 16 may be controlled by the dash ot 28 and, consequently, may be inverse y responsive to the overload. The stationary member 29 of the dash pot guides the movable core member 26 and thus serves the double purpose of controlling the time of operation and for guiding the same.

When the phase relation in the circuit to which the phase-responsive relay is connected is changed, the weight of the armature 25 will overcome the electrical propulsion and cause the same to move downwardly and thus the projection 37 will actuate the tripping rod 16, substantially as heretofore set forth. Similarly, when no current traverses one of the phases of the circuit to which the relay 22 is connected, the armature 35 will move downwardly and thus trip the interrupter 1.

Since the single supporting member 20 of the overload and phase-responsive relays constitutes a part of the magnetic circuit of the overload relay, the device may be inexpensive to construct and, since the phaseresponsive relay is applicable, withou-t changing the windings of the same, in either two or three-phase circuits, 'the device is adaptable for a relatively wide range of ap ication and is eiiicient in its operation.

' do not limit my invention to the particular structures illustrated, as it may be variously modified without departing from the spirit and scope of the lnventlon, as set forth in the appending claims.

I-fclaim as my invention:

1. A tripping device for a circuit interrupter comprising a magnetizable member of substantially S-shape, a coil disposed between two arms of the magnetizable member that constitute a magnetic circuit therefor, a. movable core member for the coil, a reciprocable rod actuated by the movable core member, and a reverse-phase relay mounted on the other arm of the magnetizable member and having means for actuating the reciprocable rod.

2. The combination with a supporting p anel, of a magnetizable member of substantlally S-shape secured to the panel, a coil disposed between two arms of the magnetizable member that constitute a magnetic circuit therefor, a movable core member for the coil, an actuating rod normally resting on a projection on the movable core member, and a reverse-phase rela mounted on another arm of the magnetizable member and adapted to actuate the actuating rod.

3. The combination with a coil and a reverse-phase relay, of a single supporting member for the coil and the relay, said supporting member constituting the stationary magnetizable member for the coil, an actuating rod, a movable core member for the coil, and means whereby the rod may be actuated by the relay and the movable core member of the coil.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 7th day of December, 1918.

BENJAMIN MCINNERNEY. 

